The holidays are all about family and togetherness—but when your family is not with you, and your loved one is gone, the holidays become less cheerful. One widower decided to take matters into his own hands and see if he could find some friendly people with an extra seat at their holiday table.

The pensioner wrote a note and pinned it on a supermarket’s bulletin board, asking, “Where does a lonely pensioner and widower find a place to celebrate in a small circle at Christmas?”

(Unsplash)

27-year-old Lisa discovered the note and was touched by the widower’s request—but she was afraid no one would see it. In a Facebook post, she explained that the note “broke my heart right away.” The young lady hoped people would share the Facebook post, so the man’s message could get out to more people.

After sharing the man’s note, it was shared over 6,000 times—and invites began to pour in.

Overnight, the widower became a hot commodity. Lisa explained to The Sun that the man was “very touched and was pleased that so many people responded.” Lisa herself could not believe that so many people reached out.

She helped the popular guest go through his invites, so he wouldn’t get overwhelmed, but “after a certain point, [she] couldn’t keep up with it anymore.” Luckily, the man has plenty of great options, but he has not made a decision yet.